Information storage and processing using coded inks



p 12, 19 R. E. TO-RLEY ETAL 3,340,982

INFORMATION STORAGE AND PROCESSING USING CODED INKS Filed Feb. 9. 1966 ROBERT E TORLEY DONALD J. BERETS MMh L A T TORNE Y United States Patent INFORMATION STORAGE AND PROCESSING USING CODED INKS Robert E. Torley, Wilton, and Donald J. Berets, Stamford, Conn., assignors to American Cyanamid Company, Stamford, Conn, a corporation of Maine Filed Feb. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 526,114 4 Claims. (Cl. 197-1) This invention relates to an improved apparatus for typing or printing symbols in coded inks in addition to typing the symbol in its ordinary form.

There have recently been developed coded inks for coding symbols and messages, which inks contain photoluminescent material, preferably including, as at least one component, a chelate of a lanthanide ion. These photoluminescent materials are for the most part colorless, but under ultraviolet light fluoresce in narrow wavelength bands. It is also possible to use ordinary organic fluorescent materials, but because of the width of the fluorescent band usually only one can be used without causing problems of overlap. The coded inks are the subject matter of the application of Freeman and Halverson, Ser. No. 596,- 366, filed Oct. 14, 1966, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 437,866, filed Mar. 8, 1965, now abandoned, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. When coding symbols on a presence or absence basis, the number of symbols is equal to 2 1, where n is the number of components present. Six components permit sixtythree symbols, which is adequate for the letters of the alphabet, numbers, and some additional symbols which may be needed.

In order to increase the number of symbols possible with a given number of components in the coded ink, there is described in the co-pending application of Berry, Ser. No. 526,192, filed Feb. 9, 1966, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, a modification in which certain selectively reflecting colors are used. This requires illumination both by ultraviolet light and by visual light, for example on a time sharing basis. Other coded ink methods have been described and claimed in the applications of Halverson, Ser. No. 526,184, filed Feb. 9, 1966, and Berry, Ser. No. 526,191, filed Feb. 9, 1966, both assigned to the assignee of the present application. In these applications there are described other methods of distinguishing components in coded inks by time constant of the luminescent phase and by the use of metal compounds which under spark discharge give off sharp spectral lines. Other forms of coded inks have also been described, and the present invention is not particularly concerned with the exact type of coded ink used, the above referred to forms being merely typical.

One of the problems presented is the inadvertent mixing of coded inks which could introduce spurious signals when read out, and a second problem is presented by the desirability of high speed typewriting or printing. It is an advantage of the present invention that both of these problems are solved by the present invention, which is applicable to typewriters, such as electric typewriters, with fairly simple modifications calling for only a few additional elements. The invention will be described more particularly in conjunction with the elements of a standard electric typewriter.

Essentially the invention provides for a movable segmented ribbon or other source of coded inks, preferably in the form of a disc which can be rotated and positioned just above the normal ribbon in the electric typewriter. Each segment carries a particular coded ink, and a single hammer which prints through the sector disc a small symbol, for example a dot, in the space between typed lines, preferably over the particular letter which is typed by the ordinary typewriter bar. The hammer is electrically controlled by a very simple type of computer which receives its instruction from each difierent typewriter key When struck and which causes the hammer to strike one or more times in proper synchronism with the particular sectors of the printing disc to produce the dot or other shape in the different components corresponding to the code of the particular symbol typed.

It will be noted that each sector carries ink of only one component and there is no mixing. When the hammer strikes through the sector, more or less at random as far as position in the sector is concerned, it imprints only one ink at a time, and even the theoretical possibility of slight contamination of ink in one sector from the minute quantity of ink already impressed 0n the paper or other substrate by a previous hammer blow is eliminated or very strongly reduced to negligible proportions by the fact that the hammer does not strike exactly the same point on the sector in successive symbols. This may be a random function by deliberately maintaining synchronism only very coarsely so that the hammer will always hit the proper sector but not necessarily the same point in it, or if precise synchronism is provided, the timing of the hammer can be progressively varied through a particular programmed pattern so that difierent parts of the sector will be encountered for different symbols.

It should be understood that in the present invention only a single hammer is used, and a moving sector disc with different sectors having individual components is an essential feature of the present invention which should not be confused with the device described in the co-pend ing application of Siegel, Ser. No. 526,193, filed Feb. 9, 1966, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, in which a Zoned ribbon, for example a ribbon with six or seven zones each having an ink of a particular component, is struck simultaneously with one or more of six hammers, which may be spaced vertically or otherwise disposed so that a particular hammer only strikes through a particular zone of the ribbon.

While the Siegel device is entirely operative and a useful instrument, it does not provide readily for regular typing and also does not provide for typing without using the code when so desired, which is an additional advantage of the present invention. Also, the sector disc, which is more or less rigid, makes accidental contamination or striking of a wrong ink component impossible, whereas in the Siegel device occasionally a movement of the flexible ribbon may cause a spurious result. On the other hand, the present invention requires rapid multiple blows by the coding hammer and may in some cases involve more expensive and elaborate, although still well known, computer circuits. As in many devices, there is no such thing as one ideal device for all purposes, so the present invention, though presenting certain marked advantages in speed of typing and flexibility, may not be as desirable for certain coding purposes as the somewhat simpler machine of the Siegel application. In every case, of course, the best machine will be chosen for all considerations, and it is an advantage of the present invention that for many uses the typing device has practical operating advantages.

The invention will be described in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through a platen of an ordinary electric typewriter with .a type bar just striking an impression, an electrical diagram for printing a coded symbol, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sector code printing disc.

In FIG. 1 the platen of the typewriter is shown at 1 with a type bar 2 and a ribbon 3. These are all conventional for electrical typewriters and the representation, therefore, is diagrammatic of only such portions of the type bar and platen as are needed to locate the position of the additional elements which effect the coding by means of the present invention. Above the type bar there is provided ,a rotating disc 4 turned by the shaft 11, driven at a predetermined, substantially synchronous speed by motor 13. The disc has six extensions beyond its periphery numbered 5 to 10, which can best be seen in FIG. 2. These extensions may be of ink impregnated ribbon fabric, carbon type ribbon fabric in which the active ingredients are retained in wax analogous to carbon ribbons in ordinary typewriters, or other means which permit producing an impression on the paper on the platen when struck by an electrically operated hammer 12. The electrical operation is conventional and is therefore not shown. Each of the sectors 5 to is impregnated or coated with a particular component of the coded ink. For example, in the case of all fluorescent codes, as described in the Freeman and Halverson application above referred to, one of the sectors may carry 4,S-diphenylimidazolone-Z and the other five sectors each carry a chelate of a particular, different lanthanide ion.

FIG. 1 shows electrical actuation of the hammer 12 by striking different keys on the keyboard. For simplicity only ten keys are shown, representing the different numerical digits, although of course the six-sector printing disc permits a choice of sixty-three symbols and, therefore, is usable with a full typewriter keyboard which has letters as well as numbers. However, the added keys would only serve to complicate the drawing. The electrical operation of the hammer 12 by conventional solenoid receives its power from wires 14 leading from a miniature electronic computer 15, which receives supply from a power source through the wire 16 and is provided with a cable 17 leading to six bus bars A, B, C, D, E and F which are contacted by various contacts on the different key levers, the contacts being shown as small circles. Power tothese bus bars passes through a switch 18 which permits cutting out the'coding operation if it is desired to use the typewriter only for straight typing.

In operation, when a particular type bar is actuated by depressing the corresponding key on the typewriter keyboard, it prints its symbol through the ordinary typewriter ribbon 2. At the same time it signals a miniature elementary computer, in the same manner as the typewriter of a more sophisticated computer, and this causes the computer to issue coded orders which result in electrical actuation one or more times of the hammer 12. The signalling for operation of the hammer 12 is in synchronism with rotation of the disc 4, and therefore the hammer strikes the proper segments. This is effected by a commutator 19 with contacts 20 striking other contacts 21 which are connected through a series of six gates in the computer. As the commutator turns, a particular contact is made when a particular sector is opposite the hammer. The speed of the computer is so great that the coded information from the bus bars A to F is received almost instantly and is retained briefly in the computer, so that when a particular sector is opposite the hammer 12 the corresponding gate in the computer is closed. In other words, the signal from a particular bus bar contacted with the contacts on a particular key lever will only pass to the hammer when the commutator 19 has opened the particular gates corresponding to a particular segment. For example, if the symbol typed had the code requiring presence of the component in sectors 5, 8 and 10, the three successive blows of the hammer 12 would be timed so that the first one caused it to imprint a dot through sector 5, the second through sector 8 and the third through sector ltl. As described above, the synchronization can be sufficiently loose so that while a hammer 12 always strikes the right sector, it does not strike the same point in the sector, or there may be a cyclic change in timing of the hammer blows so that they will strike dilferent parts of a sector in a predetermined pattern. The pattern may repeat itself, as of course even if hammer blows occasionally strike the same part of the sector, the possibility of mixing of inks due to the impression already on the paper is negligible.

Of course if the coded inks have invisible components or transparent components, the dot or other coded symbol above the typed symbol will not be apparent under visual illumination so that it cannot be told whether the typed message is typewritten only or whether it also contains the coded information. If, however, the modification of the first Berry application is used in which certain components of the coded inks are selectively reflecting, the coded dots will sometimes appear in color. Readout, of course, is by suitable radiations or other excitation means, such as spark discharge, and in the case of both photoluminescent and selectively reflecting components, there must be illumination first by ultraviolet light and then by visible light in a readout device such as is described in the first Berry application referred to above. The present invention is not in the least concerned with readout mechanisms, being directed only to a device for typing and coding the symbol in the first place. It is, however, an advantage that symbols coded by means of the present invention can be used in any of the suitable readout mechanisms, depending on the nature of the coded ink components.

When the disc 4 is exhausted, a new disc can be substituted quickly and easily. This substitution may be of an overlay on the disc having the projecting sectors only, or a whole new disc with its rigid central portion may be substituted each time. The choice is purely a matter of economics. Of course the disc must be fit on its driving shaft in a predetermined position in order to preserve synchronism with the blows of the hammer 12.

Another advantage of the present invention is that if it is desired to use the typewriter merely for typing without any coding, a simple switch 18 can out out the computer and electrical actuation of the hammer 12. In such a case, preferably the switch also stops rotation of the disc 4, although this is not essential. The flexibility of a device which is an ordinary electric typewriter and also a typewriter with coding constitutes a practical advantage of the present invention.

Some reference to typing speed is of interest. The fastest speed which canbe reached or maintained even by a highly skilled typist is about 100 words a minute, which corresponds to about 600 key strokes a minute or 10 a second. In such a case the disc 4 has to rotate at least 600 r.p.m. and preferably somewhat faster, and the actuation of the hammer 12 must be correspondingly rapid, i.e., for example at least 60 per second. This speed is comparable to the fastest typed computer readouts, but if the more moderate speed of 50 to words a minute is assumed, a 600 rpm. disc rotation is quite adequate. It should be noted that the hammer strokes have to coincide with a sixtieth of a circle or 6 of arc, which is very much less precise and correspondingly simpler than is required in a standard type computer readout where the hammers have to strike within approximately 5 of are. In other words, the present invention permits simpler mechanism and does not impose as stringent requirements as in the case of standard typing computers.

It is possible to have a standard colored ribbon on the periphery of the disc along with the coded sectors so that the ordinary typewriter ribbon can be eliminated. Such a modified typewriter is included in the broader aspects of the present invention, but the advantages of applying to an ordinary electric typewriter are so great that the use of a separate ribbon for the type bars is preferred.

Sometimes it is desired to type a coded message with no visible symbols, and this is an extremely simple matter in the preferred embodiment of the present device.

All that is necessary is to throw the normal typewriter lever to the stencil position so that the type bar does not make a color impression. Such a message is, of course, entirely secret and can only be read when illuminated by ultraviolet light in the case of photoluminescent components or by other suitable excitation for other modifications of coding. About the only practical disadvantage of the preferred modification of the present invention is that it is not readily adaptable to producing carbon copies. It is possible to interpose a positioned metallic shield between the outer paper and the first carbon above the point where the type bar strikes and such a modification is not excluded by the present invention. However, the additional complication is often not worthwhile and so for many purposes the simpler modification in which carbons may not be made while coding is often preferred. Of course when the coding mechanism is switched off, the typewriter can produce carbon copies in the usual manner, as it is then operating as an ordinary electric typewriter.

As has been stated above, the invention is not limited to any particular computer circuit or electrical actuation of the coding hammer. Such devices are completely conventional, for example in printout typewriter computers, and so no particular special circuits have been illustrated as the invention is in no way concerned with the particular circuit design.

The present invention has been described in conjunction with a regular typewriter, which is its most important single field of utility at the present time. However, the invention is not concerned with the exact typing mechanism and other machines which imprint symbols on a surface, such as adding machines, can also use the present invention. A-ccordingly, in the claims the term typewriting mechanism is used in a broader sense and not limited to an ordinary typewriter which is actuated by a keyboard.

We claim:

1. A machine for typing and coding message comprising a typewriting mechanism and in addition,

(a) a moving sector element above the point of typing impact, said element being provided with separate areas each carrying a different coded ink, each ink having a different coding component,

(b) means for moving the element at predetermined rate,

(c) a single coding hammer registering with the moving element above a typed symbol, means for actuating the hammer one or more times for each typed symbol in accordance with the number of components of coded ink required for a particular symbol, said means being in synchronism with the moving element so that for a particular component the hammer strikes only when the corresponding sector is between it and the paper, and

(d) means actuated by the typing of each symbol to program the sequence and number of hammer movements for the particular symbol.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which the typewriting mechanism is an ordinary key operated typewriter and the means for actuating the sequence and number of hammer movements are actuated by the key for the particular symbol being typed.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which the moving member is a rotating disc with sectors.

4. A device according to claim 2 including means for shutting off programming symbols to the code forming hammer so that when this means is actuated the typewriter types in the ordinary manner without producing coded symbols.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 495,135 11/1893 Hess 197-1 2,350,893 6/1944 Hofgoard 197-1 2,745,532 5/1956 Crawford 197-1 2,784,392 3/1957 Chaimowicz 197-1 X 2,788,879 4/1957 Rand 197-1 2,791,310 5/1957 Jones 197-1 2,939,758 6/1960 Crosman 197-1 X 2,958,568 11/1960 Halgelbarger 197-1 X 3,045,218 7/1962 Brand 197-1 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR TYPING AND CODING MESSAGE COMPRISING A TYPEWRITING MECHANISM AND IN ADDITION, (A) A MOVING SECTOR ELEMENT ABOVE THE POINT OF TYPING IMPACT, SAID ELEMENT BEING PROVIDED WITH SEPARATE AREAS EACH CARRYING A DIFFERENT CODED INK, EACH INK HAVING A DIFFERENT CODING COMPONENT, (B) MEANS FOR MOVING THE ELEMENT AT PREDETERMINED RATE, (C) A SINGLE CODING HAMMER REGISTERING WITH THE MOVING ELEMENT ABOVE A TYPED SYMBOL, MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE HAMMER ONE OR MORE TIMES FOR EACH TYPED SYMBOL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPONENTS OF CODED INK REQUIRED FOR A PARTICULAR SYMBOL, SAID MEANS BEING IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE MOVING ELEMENT SO THAT FOR A PARTICULAR COMPONENT THE HAMMER STRIKES ONLY WHEN THE CORRESPONDING SECTOR IS BETWEEN IT AND THE PAPER, AND (D) MEANS ACTUATED BY THE TYPING OF EACH SYMBOL TO PROGRAM THE SEQUENCE AND NUMBER OF HAMMER MOVEMENTS FOR THE PARTICULAR SYMBOL. 